The male reproductive system is the organ that produces sperm and semen and transports them outside the body. Unlike other organs, they do not reach their full efficiency and maturity until puberty. What organs make up the male reproductive system and what are their functions?

The male reproductive system(another term ismale reproductive system ) is made up of the external and internal organs of the reproductive system.

The internal organs of the male reproductive system are:

  • testicles
  • najedrze
  • vas deferens
  • vesico-seminal glands
  • sprain line
  • prostate gland
  • bulbourethral glands

The external organs of the male reproductive system are:

  • scrotum
  • penis

In other words, the external genitalia are those parts of the body that are visible in the pubic area. In adult males, they are surrounded by thick pubic hair. Internal organs are hidden in the pelvis.

Male reproductive system - testicles

The testes are the place where sperm, i.e. male reproductive cells, are produced and where testosterone, i.e. the male sex hormone, is produced.

The testicles are ovoid in shape and are located in the scrotum. The organ is covered on the outside with a serous membrane, and deeper with a whitish membrane, which forms partitions that separate the lobules of the testicle from each other. In the lobules there are seminal tubules with a very tortuous course, which in the vicinity of the testicle cavity turn into straight tubules, forming a network in this cavity, from which the epididymal tubules continue. Between the tubules there are Leydig interstitial cells that build the interstitial gland that produces male sex hormones.

In the testes there is a seminal epithelium with spermatids and spermatogonia. It is from them that sperm cells, i.e. male reproductive cells, are formed. This is also where Sertoli's support cells are found, which serve as support and nourishment.

In utero, the testicles develop inside the abdomen and descend into the scrotum before birth, where they remain for the rest of life. The blood supply to the testicles comes from the abdominal aorta.

Male reproductive system - epididymis

The epididymides are even shaped structurescomma, enveloping the nucleus. This is where the produced sperm get in. Here they mature and are stored.

Inside the epididymides are cilia that make it easier for sperm to move around.

The epididymis measures 5-1.5 cm and its main task is to store the sperm until it is fully mature.

Male Reproductive System - Vas deferens

The vas deferens are the tube that leads sperm from the epididymis, which continues from the scrotum together with the blood vessels and nerves up through the inguinal canal into the abdominal cavity. From the abdominal cavity, it goes to the pelvis and outside the bladder, it enters the prostate gland where it connects with the duct of the seminal vesicle and forms the ejaculatory duct leading to the prostatic part of the urethra.

Male reproductive system - seminal vesicles

The correct name of the seminal vesicles is the vesic-seminal gland. It is a paired organ of the male reproductive system. It has the shape of an elongated bag, approx. 5 cm long. It is lined with a membrane containing a cubic epithelium that secretes semen components (proteins, enzymes, fructose, etc.).

The seminal vesicle is located near the bottom of the bladder, and its outlets penetrate the vas deferens in a place called the bubble.

The main task of the seminal vesicle is to produce substances containing small amounts of fructose, which is a source of energy for sperm cells.

Male Reproductive System - Ejaculation Tube

This is where the vas connects with the seminal vesicles. It is located close to the prostate gland and is approx. 2 cm long and 1 mm wide in the initial part. At the exit of the urethra, it narrows to 0.2 mm. The ejaculatory lines exit into the urethra on a small mucosal elevation called the seed mound, on either side of a longitudinal depression called the prostatic tube.

Male reproductive system - prostate gland

The prostate gland (prostate, prostate) surrounds the urethra at the base of the bladder. Provides enzyme-rich fluid that helps activate semen. It is an important part of the male reproductive system because its secretion accounts for about 25% of sperm (semen).

Male reproductive system - bulbourethral glands

These are the next paired organs of the male reproductive system. They are pea-shaped, open into the urethra at the posterior wall of the bulb, and lie below the prostate.

Their task is to secrete pre-ejaculate from the urethra. This secretion protects the sperm from the acidic environment of the urethra and vagina, as it is in naturebasic.

Male reproductive system - scrotum

The scrotum is a skin sac located in the labia of men. The skin of the scrotum is highly pigmented and hairy, there is no fatty bedding in it, instead there is a contractile membrane. There are two serous cavities in the scrotum, separated by a septum, and the testes (sex glands) are located in these cavities.

The main task of the scrotum is to protect the testicles and maintain an optimal temperature for sperm. Valuable semen can only be produced when the testicles are 3 degrees cooler than the inside of the body.

Muscle fibers lying in the seminal cord and in the scrotal wall help regulate the temperature of the scrotum. They raise the testicles when it's cold and drop them when the temperature is too high.

Male reproductive system - penis

The penis is cylindrical in shape and is used to divert urine from the bladder to the outside and introduce semen to the female genitalia.

The back of the penis is firmly attached to the symphysis pubis and pubic bones. The dangling part of the penis is formed by the shaft, the glans and the narrowing between them called the neck of the glans.

There is a urethral opening on the glans. The skin covering the penis is thin and sliding, it forms the so-called foreskin. There is a frenulum at the bottom of the penis to prevent excessive retraction of the foreskin.

The largest part of the penis is the cavernous tissue, which fills with blood when you are sexually stimulated and get erected.

The urethra, which flows urine and semen runs the entire length of the penis.

About the authorAnna Jarosz A journalist who has been involved in popularizing he alth education for over 40 years. Winner of many competitions for journalists dealing with medicine and he alth. She received, among others The "Golden OTIS" Trust Award in the "Media and He alth" category, St. Kamil awarded on the occasion of the World Day of the Sick, twice the "Crystal Pen" in the national competition for journalists promoting he alth, and many awards and distinctions in competitions for the "Medical Journalist of the Year" organized by the Polish Association of Journalists for He alth.

Category:

Male diseases